Stop pretending racism is confined to Florida

[BainsBane]

39. All the focus on race is a matter of fact

It is not just a question of poverty. Statistics make that very clear. Blacks are arrested for the same crimes at a higher rate than whites. They are convicted at a higher rate and sentenced to longer prison terms. They are also sentenced to the death penalty more frequently. In fact, the single greatest factor in determining if someone gets the death penalty is the race of the victim. Those who kill African Americans are sentenced to death at FAR lower rates than those who kill whites. Clearly juries view black life as having less value.

To pretend racism is not endemic to the judicial system and American society more generally is to deny reality. When one refuses to admit a problem exists, he actively participates in perpetrating it. It's not a questioning of calling someone "racist." It's examining honestly the role of race in the judicial system. It's a matter of examining how each of us is influenced by cultural stereotypes and whether we choose to confront or perpetuate them.